Mrs. Clarence B Kidd (Ruby Cornett)
Mrs. Clarence B Kidd, Nursing Sister
Ruby (Rebecca) Muriel Cornett was born March 9, 1889 to William and Ally (Warren) Cornett in Orangeville, ON in Dufferin County. Her birth was registered which was unusual for that time. Her mother died just a couple years after her birth. Her father, William, did remarry Margaret shortly after her mother’s death. Ruby was the second of three siblings including Thomas and Flossie. They were listed as Irish descent and Anglican and Methodist through various censuses. Ruby listed her stepmother as her next of kin who was living in Ganonoque at the time.
Ruby enlisted on May 5, 1915 with several of her roommates from the Nurse’s Home in Kingston and joined the 5th Stationary Hospital with Lula Hastey. She was listed as 5’3, fair complexion, blue eyes and light brown hair, and Methodist.
She was immediately sent to France where she joined the 1st Canadian General Hospital where she served for two months before being transferred to England on July 29, 1915. She was then sent to Egypt where she joined once again Dr. and Mrs. George Kidd. On April 11, 1916, she was sent to the 2nd Canadian General Hospital in France and transferred to the 7th a month later. She remained with the 7th Canadian General Hospital for the rest of the war although she did had several leaves and temporary admin postings during that time. One of those postings was due to the fact her hospital got bombed on May 6, 1918 and she struggled with anxiety after that. On July 4, 1918, she was found to still be fit for duty, and sent back to the 7th General Hospital.
She did receive dental exams in June 1916 and June 1919 and passed both times with perfect teeth. Upon discharge, she was found to have maintained her weight, pulse of 78, and normal hearing and vision.
Her pay, which was almost $4 a day, a substantial amount, went to her bank account at the Northern Brown Bank in Kingston, ON.
She was demobilized on March 11, 1919 and sailed home on the RMC Minnedosa on August 3, 1919 and discharged on Oct. 21, 1919 in Ottawa.
She married Dr. Clarence Butler Kidd in Edmonton in 1919 at the age of 29 just after they got back from the war. They moved to Leduc, AB near Strathcona, Alberta where their son Edward Garland was born on August 12, 1920. Her husband, Clarence, died in 1946 and she died in 1973 at the age of 83. Her son, Edward died in 1995.
It should be noted that Dr. George E. Kidd and Dr. Clarence Butler Kidd were first cousins through their grandparents John and Margaret Kidd. Clarence’s sister was also Jean Elisabeth Kidd who also served as a Nursing Sister. Finally, Ruby and Lula Hastey were roommates at a nursing home in Kingston in 1911.
Ruby (Rebecca) Muriel Cornett was born March 9, 1889 to William and Ally (Warren) Cornett in Orangeville, ON in Dufferin County. Her birth was registered which was unusual for that time. Her mother died just a couple years after her birth. Her father, William, did remarry Margaret shortly after her mother’s death. Ruby was the second of three siblings including Thomas and Flossie. They were listed as Irish descent and Anglican and Methodist through various censuses. Ruby listed her stepmother as her next of kin who was living in Ganonoque at the time.
Ruby enlisted on May 5, 1915 with several of her roommates from the Nurse’s Home in Kingston and joined the 5th Stationary Hospital with Lula Hastey. She was listed as 5’3, fair complexion, blue eyes and light brown hair, and Methodist.
She was immediately sent to France where she joined the 1st Canadian General Hospital where she served for two months before being transferred to England on July 29, 1915. She was then sent to Egypt where she joined once again Dr. and Mrs. George Kidd. On April 11, 1916, she was sent to the 2nd Canadian General Hospital in France and transferred to the 7th a month later. She remained with the 7th Canadian General Hospital for the rest of the war although she did had several leaves and temporary admin postings during that time. One of those postings was due to the fact her hospital got bombed on May 6, 1918 and she struggled with anxiety after that. On July 4, 1918, she was found to still be fit for duty, and sent back to the 7th General Hospital.
She did receive dental exams in June 1916 and June 1919 and passed both times with perfect teeth. Upon discharge, she was found to have maintained her weight, pulse of 78, and normal hearing and vision.
Her pay, which was almost $4 a day, a substantial amount, went to her bank account at the Northern Brown Bank in Kingston, ON.
She was demobilized on March 11, 1919 and sailed home on the RMC Minnedosa on August 3, 1919 and discharged on Oct. 21, 1919 in Ottawa.
She married Dr. Clarence Butler Kidd in Edmonton in 1919 at the age of 29 just after they got back from the war. They moved to Leduc, AB near Strathcona, Alberta where their son Edward Garland was born on August 12, 1920. Her husband, Clarence, died in 1946 and she died in 1973 at the age of 83. Her son, Edward died in 1995.
It should be noted that Dr. George E. Kidd and Dr. Clarence Butler Kidd were first cousins through their grandparents John and Margaret Kidd. Clarence’s sister was also Jean Elisabeth Kidd who also served as a Nursing Sister. Finally, Ruby and Lula Hastey were roommates at a nursing home in Kingston in 1911.